Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Southern County Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Esurance
• Esurance offers more discounts than Southern County Mutual Insurance Company
• Southern County Mutual offers more affordable rates for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Esurance or Southern County Mutual, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Esurance has average rates that are about 40% per month more expensive than those from Southern County Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than Esurance for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how old you are, where you live, how good your credit score is, and tons of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Esurance or Southern County Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by lots of different rate factors.

Esurance or Southern County Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Southern County Mutual only compete against each other in Texas, where Southern County Mutual offers the cheaper average premiums. For Texas residents, Southern County Mutual offers insurance for $179 per month on average. Esurance's average prices come out to be more expensive, at $184 a month.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Southern County Mutual for their car insurance pay more than $350 less than those who use Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers auto insurance in 11 different states compared to Southern County Mutual's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders decrease nearly $500 and Southern County Mutual's premiums lower around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest insurance prices out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Southern County Mutual gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $129 monthly compared to Esurance's $232.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are typically more expensive for single drivers than they are for married policyholders? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something many insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Southern County Mutual is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums around $157 a month cheaper than Esurance, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Southern County Mutual has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents. That means when it comes to car insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

With Esurance, women normally pay about 7% per month less than men, while with Southern County Mutual, the difference is closer to 10% a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Southern County Mutual comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $121 less for men and $118 cheaper for women.

Esurance or Southern County Mutual: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are multiple different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

Even so, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Southern County Mutual typically offers significantly less expensive prices of $105 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Southern County Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $150 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average.

Is Esurance or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $45 a month if they get a ticket, while Southern County Mutual usually raises prices about $10 per month, on average.

However, Southern County Mutual is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering rates that are $76 and $111 cheaper, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Esurance climbing by over $100. Southern County Mutual has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay $3 more than you were prior to your first accident.

Overall, Southern County Mutual offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly rates averaging $169 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, Esurance will climb your premiums around 20% after a DUI, while Southern County Mutual's average prices climb by just under 20%.

Southern County Mutual has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $207 per month, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Southern County Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Southern County Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for several drivers.

Insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable prices.

So, which company offers the best rates for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Southern County Mutual. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 30% compared to Esurance, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $103 or 39% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern County Mutual typically offers lower premiums than Esurance when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $111 a month less with Southern County Mutual compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $213 a month.

Is Esurance or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance payment. That's because the more miles you put on your car, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Southern County Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Esurance, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Southern County Mutual is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Normally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Southern County Mutual generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest rates from both companies, but Southern County Mutual comes out on top with average prices about $159 monthly. Southern County Mutual also has more affordable average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $194 and $111 per month respective difference when compared to Esurance drivers in similar areas.

Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Esurance and Southern County Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Esurance blows Southern County Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Southern County Mutual's nine.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Esurance also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Southern County Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Southern County Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- corporate discounts, distant student discounts, and umbrella policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Southern County Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

Southern County Mutual might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You care about discounts (Esurance offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Esurance and Southern County Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Esurance and Southern County Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Southern County Mutual FAQs

Is Esurance or Southern County Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Southern County Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 a month compared to $299 for Esurance. That being said, Southern County Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or Southern County Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Southern County Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things like gender, your driving record, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and Southern County Mutual use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Esurance or Southern County Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Esurance or Southern County Mutual at all!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.